As the baby boomer generation continues to age, healthcare institutions are facing a unique challenge in providing medical services that cater to their needs. Seniors have different physical and emotional health requirements than younger generations, which requires specialized care and attention, and healthcare institutions must look for ways to improve their medical services, so they can better meet the needs of seniors.

This article will discuss six tips that healthcare institutions should consider to provide more effective medical services for seniors and with these strategies in place, healthcare providers can ensure that they can offer high-quality care tailored specifically to seniors’ needs.

Establish a separate facility for seniors

By creating a designated healthcare facility for seniors, healthcare providers can ensure that the services and care they offer are customized to meet the needs of older patients. This will also create a more comfortable environment for seniors as they don’t have to be around much younger individuals who may not understand their needs and capabilities.

Additionally, healthcare providers should consider offering specialized services such as geriatric care, physical therapy, nutrition counseling, and mental health support to better serve the needs of seniors.

Always on call and available

Seniors can often have unpredictable medical needs, so healthcare institutions need to ensure that they are always available and able to provide prompt medical care when needed. This could be in the form of having a dedicated doctor on call 24/7 or providing an emergency answering service with healthcare professionals or an after-hours support system so seniors who require urgent care can get it quickly and easily. Not only will this ensure that seniors receive the care they need on time, but it will also help to build trust between healthcare providers and senior patients.

Accessible transportation

For those elderly individuals who have difficulty getting around or require some kind of assistance when attending medical appointments, providing accessible transportation can make a huge difference. Healthcare institutions should look into providing free or discounted transportation services for seniors so that they can access the medical care they need without having to worry about transportation.

On the other hand, for those seniors who can drive themselves, healthcare providers should consider providing ample parking areas or special spaces reserved exclusively for elderly patients. This shows that the institution cares about making sure their senior patients have a comfortable and stress-free experience while they receive medical attention

Make use of technology

Technology can be invaluable when it comes to providing medical services for seniors so, by incorporating the use of video conferencing, healthcare institutions can provide remote consultations and treatments for their elderly patients who are unable to come into the facility.

Additionally, healthcare providers should look into creating an online portal where seniors can book appointments, access medical records, and receive educational materials on health-related topics.

However, have in mind that seniors are still pretty unlikely to own and use a smartphone, so healthcare institutions should also look into offering services that don’t require them to be tech-savvy.

Educate and empower seniors

Seniors should be allowed to learn more about their medical conditions and how they can manage them at home. Healthcare institutions can arrange for educational seminars or classes that provide information on topics such as nutrition, exercise, medication management, and mental health.

This will not only help empower older patients to better manage their medical needs, but it will also ensure that healthcare providers understand the needs of seniors and are trained in the specialized protocols required for treating them.

Healthcare institutions should provide training sessions for their staff on various aspects of senior care such as how to appropriately handle emergencies, how to recognize signs of cognitive decline, and how to handle behavioral issues.

Partner with local organizations

Healthcare institutions should consider partnering with local organizations that provide additional support for seniors, such as Meals on Wheels or adult daycare centers. These organizations can help provide essential services that seniors may need, such as food delivery or transportation to medical appointments.

By partnering with local organizations, healthcare providers can ensure that their elderly patients are receiving the full range of support they require to get the quality care they deserve since it is a complex and multi-faceted process.

Providing quality medical services for seniors requires more than just the care that is provided in a healthcare institution. It involves taking into account their special needs and creating an environment where they can receive comprehensive support from both healthcare providers and other local organizations.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your senior patients are receiving the best possible care while also feeling empowered to manage their health conditions.

With personalized attention and access to essential resources, elderly individuals will be able to live healthier lives with greater confidence knowing that they’re getting the right kind of care.

Cardio Diagnostics Holdings Inc, a leading precision cardiovascular diagnostics company, and Houston Concierge Medicine, a leading medical practice serving executives and health-forward consumers in Houston, announced the use of Cardio Diagnostics’ Epi+Gen CHD test. This test, which combines epigenetics, genetics, high-throughput computing, and AI to identify those at risk for coronary heart disease, is now available to Houston Concierge Medicine patients as part of their Executive Health Program.

Executive physicals are becoming more common as employers recognize the long-term value of preventive care and wellness for their executives. Executive physicals are important employee benefits because they provide employers with the opportunity to promote health and wellness among key employees. They can help identify and address potential health risks before they become serious, reducing medical costs and absenteeism over time.

“We are excited to partner with Dr. Burzynski and the Houston Concierge Medicine,” said Dr. Dogan. “We’ve seen many innovative and agile providers in the concierge medicine space lead the adoption curve with respect to Epi+Gen CHD. The use of epigenomics to drive precise and personalized health decisions for their busy patients is being driven forward by organizations like Houston Concierge Medicine.”

“At Houston Concierge Medicine, we’re committed to providing our patients with best-in-class diagnostic solutions. And since heart disease is top of mind for so many of our clients who work in fast-paced, stressful environments, the addition of Epi+Gen CHD will enable our practice to provide patients with objective and non-invasive tests to determine their risk for heart disease. We’re proud to partner with Cardio Diagnostics,” said Dr. Greg Burzynski.

Hydreight Technologies Inc., a fast-growing telehealth platform and medical network, is pleased to announce the launch of its updated Hydreight Wellness App.

The Hydreight platform makes it possible for nurses and other licensed healthcare professionals across the U.S. to monetize their credentials and deliver health and wellness services independently, on their own terms. The platform has shown continuous growth month over month, adding nearly 650 of these business accounts in 2022 alone, a sixfold increase over 2021.

The Hydreight Wellness app update includes:

• An improved booking experience that makes it easier for patients to schedule appointments
• Monthly membership and subscription options that service providers can customize with one service or bundle of services to fit the needs of their patients
• Enhanced onboarding support to make it easier to get up and running on the platform more quickly
• Complete in-app training is now available for all user roles, with updates planned to accompany all future releases
• Flexible payout dates can now be configured by the user, rather than being automatically set by the platform
• Inventory management is now under the control of the user, making it easy for each service provider to add and remove inventory from their offering as desired

Hydreight supports a range of health and wellness professionals, making it possible for them to offer IV drip, Botox, COVID-19 testing, and other medical and med spa treatments all in the comfort of the patient’s home, office, hotel, or any other suitable location of their choosing.

“We have made it possible for healthcare to take place beyond the confines of hospitals and clinics,” added Madden. “With medical director oversight, access to a digital pharmacy, and compliance infrastructure deployed automatically by the platform, we are proud to be changing the lives of nurses and other health and wellness professionals, as well as the lives of their patients.”

Patients can download Hydreight from the Apple App store or Google Play Store, and prospective service providers can sign up at: Hydreight.com/start-a-business/

Hydreight Technologies Inc. is a telehealth platform and medical network that bridges the gap between provider compliance and patient convenience, empowering nurses, med spa technicians, and other licensed healthcare professionals to monetize their credentials and deliver services independently, on their own terms, or add mobile services to existing location-based operations. The network offers medical director oversight, liability insurance, HIPAA-compliant documentation, access to a digital pharmacy, and more. The platform includes a built-in, easy-to-use suite of fully-integrated tools for accounting, documentation, sales, inventory, booking, managing patient data, and more, making it possible to deliver fully-compliant mobile medicine across all 50 states.

Being the therapy leader in the gastroenterology space, Alniche Lifesciences, one of the leading and fastest growing pharma companies of India has launched #GutHealthAwareness campaign across various hospitals in cooperation with KOL’s to spread awareness and improve the understanding of the patients related to the gastrointestinal issues like constipation.

December being a constipation awareness month, this campaign highlights the fact that constipation sufferers are concerned about the condition, however very few are willing to discuss it with their immediate family or friends due to the “social taboo”. Most are shy about seeking medical help to solve their problem. There are some sufferers who have never treated constipation and some have resorted to home remedies to treat the condition.

Gastrointestinal issues can be the main driver of numerous other health issues including lung health and mental health. If we suffer from gastrointestinal issues, it becomes challenging to focus and perform well throughout everyday life. Having a healthy gut is key as it permits the body to build a stronger immune system.

Dr. Anil Verma, consultant gastroenterologist, Sarvodya Hospital Ghaziabad says, “People often neglect constipation and delay seeking medical help. By leading a healthy lifestyle, eating right, embracing physical exercises, and having ample water to keep the body hydrated constipation can be avoided.”

Girish Arora, founder & MD Alniche Lifesciences said, “Due to faulty diet and lifestyle habits, the problem of constipation is rising in India, especially in urban population. We want to create a healthcare ecosystem that enables people to live fuller lives by launching such multipronged education campaigns”.

Palo Alto Networks is to introduce new features and capabilities for medical Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices to protect them against cyber attacks.

The company has launched Medical IoT Security, a comprehensive Zero Trust security solution specifically for digital healthcare.

Zero Trust is the highest level of cyber security and requires all internal and external users to be authenticated, authorised and continuously validated before gaining access to applications and data.

The new Palo Alto Networks Medical IoT Security makes use of machine learning and supports organisations to deploy and manage new connected technologies quickly and safely.

It can be integrated with existing healthcare information management systems, like AIMS and Epic Systems, to help automate workflows.

The solution allows users to create device rules with automated security responses, for example monitoring for behaviour anomalies and triggering appropriate responses.

Recommended least-privileged access policies for medical devices can also be enforced with one click using Palo Alto Networks’ next-gen firewalls or supported network enforcement technologies.

This takes away the need for manual policy creation which can lead to errors and be time-consuming and allows it to be scaled across a set of devices.

Other capabilities include understanding device vulnerabilities and risk posture to gain immediate insight, improving compliance with rules and guidelines, and verifying network segmentation.

In addition, Medical IoT Security seamlessly integrates with Palo Alto Networks’ cloud-delivered security services to deliver threat protection.

Digital devices are widely used within the healthcare industry, particularly for diagnostics and monitoring, and include ambulance equipment and surgical robots.

Yet, 98% of all medical IoT device traffic is unencrypted, while 57% of IoT devices are vulnerable to medium or high-severity attacks, according to research from Unit 42, Palo Alto Networks’ threat intelligence and consulting arm.

Anand Oswal, senior vice president of products, network security at Palo Alto Networks, said: “The proliferation of connected medical devices in the healthcare industry brings a wealth of benefits, but these devices are often not well secured.

“For example, according to Unit 42, an alarming 75% of smart infusion pumps examined on the networks of hospitals and healthcare organisations had known security gaps.

“This makes security devices an attractive target for cyber attackers, potentially exposing patient data and ultimately putting patients at risk.”

The Emirates Health Services (EHS) has announced the launch of a Metaverse-based Virtual Telemedicine Solution using 3D virtual reality technology.

The launch is part of transformative projects which leverage advanced technology and promote smart services such as remote health solutions and telemedicine.

Through the project, EHS aims to deliver virtual medical consultation services supported by advanced technologies. This first-of-its-kind technology enables members of society to access e-services via smart devices, thus scaling up service to reach broader segments of individuals and enhance the customer experience. Through the new virtual channel, patients can effortlessly access psychiatric consultation services, family health promotion clinics, and customer happiness centres.

Dr. Yousif Mohammed Al-Serkal, EHS Director-General, said it is the first global healthcare provider to apply Metaverse technology to provide advanced services and promote sustainable health development goals by adopting best practices that leverage AI, IoT and Blockchain technologies.

“This aims to strengthen governance, clinical review services, and research, promote global ethical standards and best practices, and enhance the sector’s competitiveness to world-class levels. The above aligns with our strategy of future-proofing our services against emerging challenges.”

He added, “Our transformative projects aimed at promoting innovation, investing in national healthcare capacities, and continuing to keep abreast of the rapid global developments and changes in the sector by using the latest global medical devices and AI-based treatments and service automation.”

The new initiative aims to promote telemedicine practices in virtual clinics and provide consultation services and medications through robotic pharmacies. It also focuses on increasing customer satisfaction and boosting patients’ confidence by delivering excellent outpatient services and updating service channels.

The project will provide psychiatric consultation services for different age groups in addition to accessing the Customer Happiness Centre and family-centred health promotion services. The project complements the goal of EHS to be at the forefront in applying Metaverse technology and equipment-free services.

Metaverse provides a 3D interactive space that allows customers to engage with healthcare professionals through a secure link using their devices equipped with a camera, microphone, and speakers. This way, patients need not purchase equipment such as headphones or controllers. Doctors can assess conditions, discuss treatment plans, and provide treatment and other clinical services.

Polarean Imaging plc, the medical imaging technology company, announces that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has granted approval for its drug device combination product, XENOVIEW. XENOVIEW, prepared from the Xenon Xe 129 Gas Blend, is a hyperpolarized contrast agent indicated for use with magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) for evaluation of lung ventilation in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. XENOVIEW has not been evaluated for use with lung perfusion imaging.

XENOVIEW expands the opportunity for pulmonary medicine to utilize the first and only inhaled MRI hyperpolarized contrast agent for novel visualization of lung ventilation without exposing patients to any ionizing radiation and its associated risks. The dose of XENOVIEW, created through the Polarean HPX hyperpolarization system, is administered in a single 10-15 second breath hold MRI procedure.

More than 30 million Americans suffer from a chronic lung disease and there is a significant unmet need for non-invasive diagnostic technology. XENOVIEW can provide pulmonologists, surgeons, and other respiratory specialists with regional maps of ventilation in their patients’ lungs to assist them in managing their disease.

Richard Hullihen, Chief Executive Officer of Polarean said: “FDA approval represents achievement of a major milestone for Polarean’s technology. This was only possible in close collaboration with multiple research clinicians and scientists globally, who we thank for their tireless and enthusiastic work. Approval of XENOVIEW represents a major step forward in modern respiratory imaging and we are proud to have pioneered this exciting new technology for clinical use. The commercial team at Polarean is prepared to rapidly launch XENOVIEW for clinical application.”

Dr. Jason Woods, Director of Research in Pulmonary Medicine at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center added: “My colleagues and I in the Xenon MRI research community are thrilled that this technology is now available to reach both adolescent and adult patients. With the availability of XENOVIEW in the clinical setting, we will have the ability to evaluate regional lung ventilation, delivered with a benign safety profile, which has been a major unmet need for the patients that look to us to better understand their lung disease.”

Polarean also announces that, simultaneously with the approval of the XENOVIEW NDA, two 510(k) devices were cleared by the FDA that will further support a successful launch of the technology into the clinical marketplace:

XENOVIEW VDP is image processing software that analyzes a pulmonary hyperpolarized 129-Xe MR image and a proton chest MR image to provide visualization and evaluation of lung ventilation in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. This image analysis platform quantifies normalized xenon intensity of a ventilated space using a pulmonary hyperpolarized 129-Xe ventilation MR image and accompanying proton chest MR image. The software will be used by clinicians to assist in the interpretation and numerical classification of hyperpolarized 129-Xe ventilation MR images.

The Polarean XENOVIEW 3.0T Chest Coil is a flexible, single channel, transmit-receive (T/R) RF coil tuned to 129Xe frequency on a 3.0T MRI magnetic field of a compatible MRI scanner. The Polarean XENOVIEW 3.0T Chest Coil is indicated to be used in conjunction with compatible 3.0T MRI scanners and approved xenon Xe 129 hyperpolarized for oral inhalation for evaluation of lung ventilation in adults and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older. The Chest Coil is intended to be worn by a patient who inhales hyperpolarized 129Xe gas (XENOVIEW) to obtain an MR image of the regional distribution of hyperpolarized 129Xe in the lungs.